Despite facing fierce competition from the iconic Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) and the mighty Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam (2022), Amber Heard prevailed to become the reigning queen of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Indeed, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is the first DCEU film to surpass $400 million since the first Aquaman movie.
James Wan’s 2023 film saw a sad decline in attendance at domestic theaters, but the film is still doing very well internationally. This weekend, the movie took in $412.7 million worldwide, breaking the $400 million mark that has not been reached by a DCEU movie since the release of Aquaman in 2018. The sequel will undoubtedly fall short of its predecessor’s $1.1 billion. But it definitely has easily outperformed its closest competitors of the last five years, Wonder Woman 1984’s $166.3 million and Black Adam’s $390.4 million. That is a notable accomplishment for Heard’s film.
Aquaman 2
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Amber Heard’s Aquaman 2 Rides Powerful Waves, Broke DC Record
For the first time in the franchise’s six years, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has achieved a significant global benchmark. The 2023 film is a follow-up to the critically acclaimed 2018 film Aquaman, which has made $1.15 billion worldwide and is currently the highest-grossing film in the DC Extended Universe. In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Aquaman (Jason Momoa) and his half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) must work together to defeat Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), a resurgent villain.
Amber Heard’s Mera in Aquaman 2
The fifteenth and last film in DCEU has made $412.7 million worldwide as of midway through its sixth weekend in theaters, according to The Numbers. Being the first film since Aquaman to make $400 million on a budget of between $160 and $200 million is no small feat. In doing so, it breaks that particular mark, becoming the first DCEU film to do so since the 2018 $1.152 billion film.
Critics, however, gave the movie not-so-good reviews; on Rotten Tomatoes, 34% of 200 reviews are positive and have an average rating of 4.9/10. Regardless, a sort of middle ground is reached for the franchise with the release of Aquaman 2. This is the conclusion of the story, which makes sense given that the DCEU era has seen diminishing returns since hitting its zenith with Aquaman.
Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in Wonder Woman 1984
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Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman 1984 & Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam Caught in the Undertow
While beloved superhero Gal Gadot wowed audiences as the title character in Wonder Woman 1984, her box office earnings pale in comparison to Amber Heard’s record-breaking success. With a total revenue of only $166.3 million (via The Numbers), Patty Jenkins’ directed film was unable to swim past the colossal waves marked by Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Similarly, even the electrifying presence of Dwayne Johnson couldn’t quite match Heard’s incredible achievement, with Black Adam (per The Numbers) netting 390.4 million.
As the Aquaman movie series continues to thrive once again, it’s clear that Aquaman 2 has struck a chord with audiences like never before.
Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam
Also Read: Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Ending Explained
Even though it is unclear if the cast of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will make an appearance in the upcoming DCU, its success might point to a positive development for DC. The DCEU will conclude with a sequel to their biggest hit, which will open up a new film universe starring Superman—the same legendary figure who established Warner Bros.’ shared universe with 2013’s Man of Steel. Rather than just becoming one of the many failures that dogged 2022 and 2023, it is possible that utilizing this as the launching pad for a new franchise could generate far more audience interest.
You can rent Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom on Apple TV. Wonder Woman 1984 and Black Adam are streaming on Netflix.
